March 2016

As we immerse ourselves in this Lenten season, we continue our practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We look forward to Holy Week in which we remember the suffering and death of Jesus, and we celebrate the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ in the Easter Season! What a wonderful reminder for all of us that in the end, suffering and death do not have the last word; rather the promise of new life, hope and resurrection are made real.

After a busy semester of academics, admissions, co-curriculars, Intersession, and the Western Catholic Association Accreditation Visit, we are ready for a much needed Easter break beginning Thursday, March 24. When we return from break, we look forward to seeing all parents at our Parent Guild Meeting on Wednesday, April 6, where Sr. Rosann Fraher of the Board of Directors will give an update on the search process for Head of School.

In this admission season and as families re-enroll, we are grateful to our many alumnae, benefactors, foundations, and friends, who make it possible for so many young women to attend Mercy High School. Through your generous gift, we are able to offer a program of academic excellence that is rooted in Gospel values and seeks to empower young women to continue to make a difference in our world. Thank you for all that you do to support our mission.

In gratitude,

Rita E. Cutarelli, Associate Principal of Mission and Campus Life
Audrey Magnusen, Director of Advancement and Alumnae Relations
Daniel Meyers, Director of Academic Affairs
Janine Nolfi, Director of Student Activities
Laura Schulkin-Parnell, Director of Counseling
Lorelei Zermani, Director of Finance and Human Resources

In This Issue

Alumnae

Announcements

School News

Upcoming Events

	Alumnae

	JENNIFER ZEIDAN MAKES IT IN BROADCASTING AND FILM After five years as a production engineer at Cisco TV and two years as a broadcast engineer establishing Al Jazeera's newest digital venture "AJ+," Jennifer Zeidan '05 felt it was time to move from television to film. She is now a media systems engineer for Industrial Light and Magic, the visual effects division of Lucasfilm ("yes, we're working on Star Wars!"). She also freelanced as a broadcast technician for MLB Network and MLB.com. This past October, Jennifer spoke at a panel of the annual Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers Technical Conference and Exhibition regarding increasing diversity in entertainment technology and their paper was published in the latest SMPTE journal. MERCY TURNS OUT A LEADER IN ELIM YEOH Elim Yeoh '99 recently returned to San Francisco after running a Canadian supply chain organization for a Fortune 3 company, Chevron. She joined Mercy in 1997 as a junior transfer and explored her interest in healthcare. Mercy created the platform for her to take on multiple leadership positions, challenged her to seek opportunities and allowed her to "build the confidence to chase after what I want and what I'm good at". It was through Mercy, and the various volunteer activities, that she was able to identify what drove her to delivering results and exceeding expectations. After Mercy, Elim decided healthcare was not quite her calling and pursued a chemical engineering degree at UC Berkeley. She graduated in 2003 and then has continued to seize opportunities in pursuit of her passion, which is to run a global business with a sustainable competitive advantage. She has worked both internationally and domestically and has enjoyed a myriad of fun-filled assignments including 4 years in Hawaii. She is also very active in the non-profit space - connecting people with the heart and the skills to generate good will. RECONNECT: 2016 REUNIONS AND EVENTS Class of 1966 Golden 50th Reunion Sunday, June 5, 2016 Reunion Luncheon at the Lake Merced Golf Club 2300 Junipero Serra Boulevard, Daly City, CA 94015 11:00 am A time to share memories, photos and celebrate! Luncheon Coordinator Nancy Dito '66 415.608.5792 Class of 1966 Liturgy and Reception Thursday, September 22, 2016 Mercy Day Eucharistic Liturgy with the Mercy student body, faculty and staff, celebrating the founding of the House of Mercy by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland. The liturgy will include the Class of 1966 and Sisters of Mercy as honored guests. 1:30 Mercy Day Liturgy at Mercy High School & Reception following in Rist Hall Class of 1956 60th Reunion Saturday, September 17, 2016 El Rancho Inn 1100 El Camino Real, Millbrae, CA 94030 Coordinators: Ann Marra Doran '56, Pat Keller '56 & Carol Quigley '56 Class of 1961 55 ^th Reunion Saturday, September 24, 2016 Delancey Street Restaurant 600 The Embarcadero at Brannan, San Francisco, CA 94107 Coordinators: Linda Frei Phelan '61 and Sue LaRocco Scheppler '61 Class of 1976 40th Reunion Coordinator: Chris Powis Emerson '76 Class of 1986 30 ^th Reunion Coordinators: Natasha Morris '86 & Mary Vlahos '86 Please email Audrey Magnusen, Director of Advancement, or call 415.337.7218 for information on being a Class Coordinator.

	Announcements

	GIVING TO MERCY During this Holy Year of Mercy, we are asking you to consider making an investment for a very special appeal--a gift of a Mercy High School education! For over sixty years, families have made many sacrifices to have their daughters attend Mercy. The support of alumnae, parents and friends has generated the much-needed funds for Mercy's critical needs: financial assistance, campus maintenance and improvements and the continuing presence of our outstanding faculty and staff. The Annual Fund is a major channel of support. All gifts to our Annual Fund, whether $25 or $2,500, are very significant and can be directed to areas with the greatest need. Please consider making a gift this year. Our need to provide financial assistance has increased dramatically over the last few years. Your gift can really help us in providing a Mercy education to many young women. We can assure you that your investment in our young women is priceless. If you have already given to Mercy--Thank You! Our goal is to raise $1,000,000 through the kindness of alumnae, parents, friends and foundations. We are pleased to inform you that we are currently at 83% of our goal. We are asking if it is possible for you to assist us in reaching our goal. Please join us in celebrating our educational ministry and the young women who have chosen Mercy High as an important reality in their lives. All donors (if they wish) will have their names included in our Mercy News 2015-2016 Annual Report. For your convenience you may donate online at www.mercyhs.org. Gratefully, Sr. Rosemary Sullivan, RSM Current Capital Projects at Mercy Take Your Seat Theatre campaign to replace all existing seats and curtains. Goal $150,000. Stairway to Heaven Rooftop Terrace and Community Room located on the 4th Floor, will host a beautiful space for all types of events, receptions and student use. Thanks to a generous lead gift from Bernita McTernan '63 and Maria Schiavone, and additional gifts, we have reached 51% of the $125,000 Goal. TEXTILE RECYCLING BACK AT MERCY Mercy has been selected by SF Environment and Recology to participate in a pilot program -- at no cost -- whose aim is to collect textiles for reuse and recycling. Tan colored bins have been placed strategically on campus so students, faculty and staff can bring in old clothes, shoes, linens, and the like, for recycling. As some of you may recall, we tried this before successfully. However, due to questions regarding the vendor used at the time, we had the bin removed from our campus. But, textile recycling is now back at Mercy! The Technology Department recycles used cell phones, laser toner and inkjet cartridges throughout the school year. Please have students drop off items in the Computer Lab, room 319.

	School News

	FROSH AND SOPHOMORES DIG DEEP ON OVERNIGHT RETREAT Students on the 2016 Frosh/Soph Overnight Retreat explored the theme "My Soul Has Grown Deep Like the Rivers," taken from Langston Hughes' classic early 20th century poem. Through talks given by upperclass Retreat Team leaders, small-group conversations, artistic activities, individual reflection, prayer, and ritual, students explored their own journey along "The River of Life," considered their call to "Swim Upstream" and challenge societal expectations, and discovered how their own inner resiliency can help them to manage whatever lies "Just Around the Riverbend." The retreat was held at beautiful Redwood Glen in Loma Mar, a picturesque setting amidst the redwoods of the California coast. Students developed a strong sense of community over the two days, with lots of opportunities to hike and play in the beautiful outdoors! MERCY'S VOICE OF DEMOCRACY WINNERS Congratulations to the Mercy students who participated in the Voice of Democracy Speech Contest. Mercy had a wonderful group of students who entered the contest and received awards for their speeches. Rachael Delucchi '16 took fourth in the city and received $150 from the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Darren Chan '18 and Aivy Duong '17 received $100 each. We wish Aivy the best of luck when she competes in the Lion's Club Speech Competition over Spring Break. Photo above includes: Aivy Duong '17, Rachael Delucchi '16, Darren Chan '18, and Kay Fuller from the Veterans of Foreign Wars. MERCY GIRLS VISIT LUCASFILM STUDIOS On Wednesday, March 9, some of the Women in Technology and Skipper TV girls were invited to visit Lucasfilm Studios and meet some of the creators of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie. They are currently creating their own films, and using special effects in FinalCut Pro to digitally create new worlds and tell their stories. Great job girls, and we can't wait to see how you were inspired... you could be the next creators of Star Wars movies! MERCY TAKES MAJOR PRIZES AT A FILM CONTEST Congratulations to Galina Lang '17 and Mr. Evearitt for winning the Looking Glass Photo and Nikon Camera film contest! Last December, Mr. Evearitt and Galina Lang entered the film contest sponsored by Looking Glass Photo and Nikon Camera, to create short films that depicted "Life in the Bay" as they interpreted. Galina won in the under 18 category, and Mr. Evearitt won in the over 18 category, and both won brand new Nikon D5500 cameras. We look forward to more of their film creations here at Mercy for Skipper TV! Click here to watch Galina's entry. MERCY STUDENTS AT ST. MARY'S MEDICAL CENTER Freshman Women in Medicine (WIM) are shown at the Surgery Department during their monthly visit to St. Mary's Medical Center. INTERSESSION 2016 A HUGE SUCCESS With twenty-two courses to choose from, our students had a wealth of experiences that further enriched their time at Mercy. During intersession week our girls experienced everything from trying out new foods and crafting to sleeping under the stars, touring local colleges, learning to horseback ride, walking the halls of Capitol Hill, braving the heights on an international adventure, hiking through nature, learning to dance, and much more! Thanks to the participation of our faculty and staff, our girls created memories and bonds that they will cherish as part of their high school experience. Enjoy the photos below. New York - I Love You ...visited 2 art museums, watched improv performances at Upright Citizens Brigade, went to see Bronx Tale, the Musical, complete with a Talk Back with the cast and crew including Dominic Nolfi and Chaz Palminteri, who wrote the book on his life. Other activities included a talk with Heather Verbeke, assistant director for Orange is the New Black, taking the Staten Island Ferry, touring the NYU campus, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and being in the audience for The View. We congratulate the students whose photos were selected as best representing three categories: Alyssa Aleman '16 (Best Food Shot), Stacey Velasco '16 (Best Cityscape) and Hadiya Smith '16 (Best Group Shot). Let's Get Cultured ...explored the rich cultural offerings of San Francisco. The girls enjoyed the cuisines of Peru, China, Vietnam, Hawaii and India, all just a MuniRide from Mercy. They learned how to belly dance and decorate their hands using henna. They created a Mandala that reflected their own cultural heritage, then shared a bit of that heritage with each other on our final day when they brought food, clothing, and games to our celebration. Tours of Chinatown and the Museum of African Diaspora rounded out the week and helped the girls realize how lucky they are to live in the Bay Area. So You Think You Can't Craft? ...spent a week creating paper beads, notebooks, Avatar plushies and LED t-shirts. They built their own looms and weaved on them. A fieldtrip took them to The Mix, the newly-completed teen section of the San Francisco Main Library. Here they were shown a demonstration of the 3D printer and a group was given the opportunity to make their own musical recording. Click here to listen. Gardens: Dig, Play, Eat ...took a garden walking tour through the Sunset, up the 16th Avenue Steps, and into the Botanical Gardens where the group worked in the Children's Garden, pulling weeds and composting - two things the group would become quite versed in that week. On another day, the group worked the beautiful Alcatraz Gardens, hacking away at ivy that was threatening the structural integrity of the old masonry, and then toured the prison. The final two days saw the group braving the storm while camping at Slide Ranch where, when not being soaked, they milked goats, turned wool into yarn, and, yes, composted. It was four days of dirt, fun, and friendship. Vancouver: A Gateway to Adventure ...took girls on an international trip to our neighbor to the North! Twenty junior and senior girls explored the city of Vancouver and its urban forest. In Vancouver, the girls toured the city; attended Sunday Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral; saw our Bay Area San Jose Sharks beat the Vancouver Canucks in an exciting hockey match at Rogers Arena; learned about the First Nations of the Northwest with visits to the Totem Poles and the UBC Museum of Anthropology (where they also experienced contemporary Taiwanese art); enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride through Stanley Park; played in the snow at Grouse Mountain; braved the heights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Treetop Adventures, and Cliffwalk; and even soared over China and Canada in an exciting 4-D experience! Ashland Shakespeare Festival ...enjoyed a talk back with actor Armando McClain in the production of The River Bride. Sea to Sierras ...were at Shamrock and Thistle, a ranch outside Placerville. The group was hosted by Jessica Mosbaugh of Pacific Performance Horses. She introduced the girls to the seven horses resident at the ranch, taught them how to halter and lead the horses, groom them, feed them, clean stalls and paddocks and put down fresh bedding. Jessica gave all students basic lessons in Western riding on horseback. Back To Nature ...spent four fun-filled days in the Coastal Redwood forest at Westminster Woods. Along with plenty of hiking and learning about redwood ecology, students made nature art, enjoyed cabin living, roasted marshmallows over a campfire, took a night hike and stargazed. One of the highlights was the Challenge Course day, where students bonded through both problem solving exercises, and challenged and supported each other on the high ropes elements, 20 feet off the ground. Sleepless in Seattle ...spent Intersession week in the northwest. Stops in Washington included Seattle University, Future of Flight Aviation Museum and Boeing Factory in Everett. City tours were made to Pike Place Market, The Locks and the Space Needle. A high-speed ferry ride to Victoria took 3 hours with a visit to the Butchart Gardens and a High Tea at the historic Empress Hotel. Laredo Immersion Program and McAllen Border Experience ...immersed in the realities of the border. "Life-changing." "Powerful." "Emotional." "Challenging" are some of the words that students used to describe their time on the U.S.-Mexico border. The location of Laredo and McAllen--in Texas, right along the Rio Grande-invites reflection and education regarding immigration, human trafficking, and poverty, all in the light of Catholic Social Teaching and the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy. Students had the opportunity to hear testimony from recent immigrants, to walk along the border wall, to volunteer directly with families in need, and to develop an awareness of their own capacity to effect social change, especially as they approach voting age. Whether wielding a hammer at Habitat for Humanity, joining a "march to the polls" on Super Tuesday, or providing lunch and games for children in need, our students truly embodied the Gospel values of compassion, respect for human dignity, and generous service. Just Wade and Sea ...got up close to marine animals at A�o Nuevo State Park's elephant seal tour, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Marine Mammal Center. They kayaked among harbor seals, otters, and sea lions, and learned about all kinds of ocean life from plankton to jellyfish to sharks with a variety of educational experiences. They saw a salmon dissection, trawled for fish and crabs in a research boat, and explored a working model of the SF Bay. They had a whale of a time, wearing their custom Just Wade and Sea jackets, and stopping for delicious meals along the way!

	Upcoming Events

	March 2016 Friday, March 18 Mother-Daughter Movie Night Sunday, March 20 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord Tuesday, March 22 Sophomore Service Retreat (Students in Ethics Classes) Tuesday, March 22 Lenten Food Drive Ends Wednesday, March 23: 9:45am Holy Week Liturgy of the Word Thursday, March 24 Holy Thursday - No Classes Friday, March 25 Good Friday - No Classes Sunday, March 27 Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord March 28 - April 1 Easter Break - No Classes April 2016 Monday, April 4 Senior Holiday Wednesday, April 6: 6:00pm Parent Guild Meeting April 15, 16, 22, 23: 7pm Spring Musical: Celebrating Women on Broadway Saturday, April 16: 11:00am Class of 2020 Welcome Reception April 20 - 22 Junior/Senior Overnight Retreat Wednesday April 27: 9:45am Easter Eucharistic Liturgy Friday, April 29: 8am Spring/Earth Day - Special Schedule Friday, April 29: 7pm Junior / Senior Prom May 2016 May 2-11 AP Exams Wednesday, May 4 Senior College Sweatshirt Day Sunday, May 15:1:00pm Art & Soul Exhibition Tuesday, May 17: 6:30pm Spring Sports Awards Banquet Wednesday, May 18: 7pm Visual & Performing Arts Festival Thursday, May 19: 7pm Visual & Performing Arts Festival Friday, May 20: 5pm PAA Student Directed Performances & Red Carpet Awards May 23-25 Final Exams Thursday, May 26: 6pm Senior Celebration Dinner Friday, May 27: 9am Senior Awards Assembly Saturday, May 28: 10:30am Graduation Eucharistic Liturgy Musical: Celebrating Women on Broadway April 15, 16, 22 and 23 2016 7:00 pm Mercy Theatre Click here to buy tickets.